THE MELON. 79 



heat is necessary in frames and pits than in the house. 

 For these latter, when grown in pots, it is a good plan 

 to have one flow-and-return three-inch pipe once round 

 the pit above the surface, or even a two-inch pipe would 

 do. Such a thing is very inexpensive : two- inch pipe 

 costs but Is. 6d. per foot. That would be 41. 10s., 

 elbows and all, for a pit 30 feet long ; and the whole 

 cost of the boiler and everything would not be more 

 than 9Z., or perhaps 10L, including the fixing. These 

 surface pipes are very beneficial for early Melon grow- 

 ing in pits. 



The bottpm heat must arise from a well-made bed 

 of stable manure and leaves well mixed and well 

 packed in, forming a tight and compact bed not less 

 than four feet deep for winter work. It is useless, or all 

 but useless, to make a bed for early Melons except it is 

 well made : one half leaves raked up in November, and 

 one half fresh stable manure, I have found the best 

 materials for making such a bed. There is no fear of 

 too strong a heat arising, as is the case when all stable 

 manure is used, nor do the materials require two or 

 three weeks' fermentation and turning previous to 

 making the bed if a proportion of one half leaves is 

 used. As soon as the heat is up to 60 the seeds or 

 plants may be inserted. 



The angle at which a pit or frame should be con- 

 structed for Melon growing may be regulated by the 

 same principles as for the roof of the house used for 

 the same purpose. For the first crop of early frame 

 Melons a bed should be made up by the middle of 

 January, and if two-inch pipes are used for surface heat. 

 Melons may be had by the end of April or the begin- 

 ning of May; but the pipes for the surface heat need 



